Dawn of the Infinity
by Michael.Waferd
Summary: A 'Real world' interpretation of Minecraft, where Steven, Turk, and a gang of rag tag Heroes venture on an epic journey that will lead them to face the greatest threat that's ever challenged the tangible universe they call home. A creature far more powerful and ancient then Herobrine has awoken, to rewrite the universe as it sees fit, and forever erase all good from the world.
1. It Could Happen

**Chapter 1**

**It Could Happen**

**Someone very wise once told me something that I don't intend on forgetting for as long as I should live. They told me when I was young, just a boy, that one day I would be faced with a decision, a decision that would determine the fate of my world as I know it, and the fate of all those around me. They did not tell me what the choice was that I would have to make, nor did they tell me when the time would come that I would be faced with this choice. All they said to me was that one day there would be a choice, and I would have to make it…**

"**Are you talking to yourself again Steven?" asked my brother Turk. I hadn't noticed him sitting there behind me.**

"**How long have you been sitting there? I didn't hear you come in," I said feeling slightly embarrassed to have been sitting here talking to myself without realizing that there was someone other than myself in the room.**

"**Long enough to hear your spew about the same old heroics story you always seem to be infatuated with," he chuckled. "When are you going to come to the realization that all that stuff you are talking about is never going to come true?"**

"**It could happen!" I argued. Turk was older than me by two years. He had just turned twenty three and with his age came an equal boastful ego. He thought that he knew everything that there was to know. Grant it I was two years younger than he was, but that did not mean that I was not allowed to have my own opinions.**

"**Yeah, right, the day that the world rests on your shoulders is the day that Herobrine breaks free of his prison in the End," Turk laughed seemingly amused at his own derogative comments towards my creativity.**

"**And what happens if he did ever break free of his prison? Do you have the answer to that one brother?" I said with a smirk.**

"**Well I can tell you one thing I know for sure. You certainly won't be the one to save the world if that does ever happen, which it won't. You can't even get your chores finished. Did you ever finish crafting that diamond axe like father told you to, like, a week ago?"**

"**Um… I'm still working on that," I said looking over at the crafting table."**

"**You liar… You haven't even started on it have you? You do realize that we need that axe for the winter months. It will not be long now before winter is here, and we still have to build an entire village worth of log cabins for the new arrivals from NorthsBurg castle. It's not like there is anyone else around here right now that knows how to craft wooden materials. Most of the wood smiths are off in the Eastern woods right now trying to build fortifications against the zombie advancement. Need I remind you that that area is having a huge problem controlling the zombie outbreaks! You, me, father and maybe a few other men in this village are the only ones that are even able to craft legally until the wood smiths return… assuming that they do return at all."**

"**I know, I know. I'm aware of the zombie problems that the Eastern Woods Colonies are having. I do read the news books you know!"**

"**Oh, you do? And I thought that you where illiterate little brother," he chuckled.**

"**You're an idiot sometimes Turk."**

"**Yeah, but I'm older then you, and stronger too, so you do what I say until you prove that your worthy to be a knight to the king of our realm."**

"**If you say so. And I am trying to finish the axe alright, it's not like it's as easy as putting the three diamonds and two sticks in a crafting table and pulling out a diamond axe. I actually have to forge that thing you know. That takes awhile."**

"**Does it… well, you had better get on it, because winter will be here in only a few short weeks, and you know what happens if we don't have those houses finished for all two thousand of those immigrants by the time winter arrives, don't you?"**

"**Well they would have nowhere to live of course. I really don't understand why they don't just craft their own dang tools and build their own houses."**

"**Tell me your just joking Steven… You know as well as I do that there aren't many people who are allowed to craft any material at all. You should be grateful that you can even make tools. Most people aren't even allowed to do that much! Be grateful for that!"**

"**That's a stupid rule you know. That they don't even allow the commoners to craft. Why is it that only high ranking military officials or people like us who are rich are allowed to craft?... Never mind, don't answer that, I know the answer. It's because our 'great' king forbids the commoners to craft because he is afraid that someone might start making weapons, and that they might be tempted to use those weapons against him."**

"**Show some respect Steven! That's the king you're talking about now! And as much as I agree that it's stupid that commoners can't craft. I still honor my king's decisions. He has never led our city or villages astray before."**

"**That's not a reason to believe that he never will. And just because you're a knight yourself doesn't mean you have to speak so fondly of him in private to your own brother Turk," I said rolling my eyes.**

"**You know, one of these days little brother, maybe you'll grow up and understand that the way things are is the way they have to be in order to maintain peace right now."**

"**You would call what we have now peace?" I asked chuckling, "This is vaguely peace that we have now. You said it yourself that the Eastern Forest tribes are in the mists of the greatest zombie crisis that they've ever had to deal with. I'm mean really they needed nearly all of our woodsmen and other crafters just to reinforce the city's over there because conditions have gotten so out of hand. The king of the mountain region has summoned nearly all of the crafters from not only the plains region, but also the snow plains, the forest, and the swamplands kingdoms. There are only so many crafters in our kingdoms you know, and here in the plains region we don't have many crafters to spare. Not to mention, you think you're so keen on the news Turk, did you hear from the priest the other day that the Ice Plains castles have fallen under a huge coordinated attack by the skeleton's frontal legion? They've converged on that area recently and are hammering the ice castles all across the region. And you call that peace huh?"**

"**That's nothing new for our world. The monster hordes have been trying to destroy our civilizations for as long as time itself when 'Notch' created the world. We've dealt with the zombies and skeletons before, and we will do it again if we must."**

"**Hum," I chuckled.**

"**What exactly is so funny about that?"**

"**You really believe in all that, 'Notch created the world' stuff huh?"**

"**Yes, I really do, but now you're getting me off topic again, like you always do when I ride you to do something you need to be doing but don't want to. Now get that darn axe made, and make it fast. It's going to be night here in a few hours," Turk said pushing me into the wall as he stood up and walked towards the door.**

"**Where are you going?"**

"**To do what I can and get the new comers that are already here to a temporary facility until the village can construct them adequate housing with wood that you are supposed to be gathering and shaping for them…"**

"**Yeah, I got it alright. I'll get to it right now. Besides," I mumbled, "It's not like there aren't any stone or wood axes in this village, I'm sure someone else besides me is qualified to mine a few trees."**

"**What was that?" Turk said turning back to look at me.**

"**Nothing…" I murmured.**

"**Just get to work Steven. Dad will be home by nightfall, make sure that you are back by then too."**

"**Oh, worried about my safety in the big bad Grassland plains?"**

"**You're my brother… as much as I dislike admitting it… Just be careful alright. Just because the monsters are coordinating their attacks on the other regions doesn't mean that none will be lurking in the shadows around here. They have spies everywhere you know."**

"**I'll remember that while I take on the tree monsters," I joked.**

"**You're an annoyance sometimes…" Turk said leaving the room shaking his head closing the wooden door behind him.**

"**Anything to get you to leave," I thought to myself as I walked over to my crafting table to build the Axe.**

**All the stuff I needed was lying on the table in front of me. Pulling up a seat and flipping a leaver to turn on the glow stone lamps lining the floor I started to get to work.**

**I turned around to look at the golden clock sitting on the table behind me. The time was 4:37 p.m. The night would be here soon. In the winter months it got dark at about 6:20. I didn't have a whole lot of time left to get this dang axe made.**

"**Oh well," I thought, "Diamond axes may be hard to build, but at least they last for a good while. And I guess we are lucky that my dad found three diamonds in the mine last week. It's not every day you see diamond around here. Not after the king of mountain plains region had his personal mining core strip mine the entire area and remove all the precious ores for his own personal use. Whatever that may be," I said gritting my teeth. "Turk may think our king is so great, but that's only because he is one of his highest ranking knights. Me however, I'm just a low level craftsmen, I'm not even allowed to carry a sword. But I've seen how the king acts, and I've heard of the things that he does. And I know the truth of his true motives. And as soon as I get the chance, I'm going to prove it to everyone else. Then they'll believe me…" I thought starting to hammer away at the diamonds. "Then they'll listen."**


	2. Nightfall on the Western Plains

**Chapter 2**

**Nightfall on the Western Plains**

** By the time that I had finished crafting the Diamond axe night had nearly fallen. The sun was just now setting on the horizon. I picked up my axe and walked over to one of the windows in my room. I could see some of the village huts in the distance, behind them the sun was just starting to set. I looked over at the clock again.**

"**Not much more time left," I thought. Now it was close to five thirty.**

**If I made a good effort I might be able to cut down at least one tree by the time night fell.**

**I took my axe and left the house heading into the meadow.**

**There was a lot of tall grass around the house. I cut my way through it. Every once and a while I would find seeds in the grass. I collected them; they would prove useful to trade to the farmers in the village, maybe for some iron. There has not been much iron found here lately. Not since the king of this region took it all.**

"**This one will do. I said looking up the truck of an average sized tree. I lay the axe down and spit in my hands to lubricate them and then I grabbed the handle of the axe again and lifted it over my shoulder. I swung at the tree multiple times for a good while until I had made a sizable gash in the trunk. I then started swinging at the opposite side of the tree. I continued to smash and cut away at the thick oak wood until my blows broke through the trunk and met with the other gash I had made on the other side. The tree made a hissing sound as what was left of the trunk snapped and the tree collapsed under its own weight, falling to the side of me. I stepped out of the way, even though I was already far enough away not to be hit, I was just making sure. The tree came down and hit the ground with a hard thud. It bounced a little and then settled where it lay.**

**I spent the next thirty minutes or so cutting the tree apart. By the time I had finished hacking up the tree I could tell that there was more wood here then I would be able to carry tonight. Looking back at my house I could see that the sun had already set in the distance. The last bit of pink and orange light was brimming on the distant hilltops, beginning to fade away.**

"**Time to go," I thought. **

**I figured that I would just leave the wood here for tonight. There was no one around who would be stupid enough to stay out at night and possibly take it. Besides, most folks around here were pretty good people and they didn't tend to do the wrong thing often. Like the priest always said in church on Sundays, 'Few men are truly evil, most are simply confused nad misled.'**

**Well I agreed with him for the most part aside from perhaps one individual that we had a run in with a few years ago. Herobrine. That… thing… was evil to its core. I had seen him once in the time when he ran free, wreaking havoc on all he touched. Those were the darkest years that the five kingdoms had ever seen. Fortunately, Herobrine is no longer a threat thanks to the Aether warriors who rose to fight against his hordes of evil. They say that Herobrine was defeated and is now locked away in a prison of some kind, another dimension called the 'End'. Or so they say.**

**I was getting close to being back at my house now, I could see it just past the next color field, not but a few hundred yards more and I would be home.**

**Suddenly I heard something rustling around in the grass near me. I stopped running and turned to see what had made the sound. I expected to see a bore or snake or maybe a wild sheep, but it was none of those. In the shadows lurked a figure resembling a man. It was now to dark to see the face of the thing I was looking at. I couldn't see any part of it clearly.**

"**Hello?" I called to it.**

**It turned slowly until it saw me, then it froze for a moment.**

"**Hello…?" I said again, squiting my eyes trying to tell what I was looking at.**

"**It didn't reply, but it did start to walk towards me.**

**As it came into view I could now tell what I was looking at. This was no man, this was what they called a creeper. I had never seen one before in person, only read about them. But it was an abomination, no arms, with a green scaly body and jagged sharp teeth covering its bulging mouth. The thing looked like some kind of huge green upright worm, with four spiny legs, and dark black eyes.**

**I had no idea what this thing was able to do, I had never seen a monster like this one before in person, I tried recalling what the reading material I had observed said about this creature, but I couldn't remember. There were not even supposed to be monsters out here this far away from the mainland. The only thing that I could decipherer from this creature was from what my father had once told me about them. 'They are an explosive monster', I recalled him telling me, 'One that commits suicide on its enemies.' I think he said that they kill by exploding and throwing corrosive acid onto their victims.**

"**This is not good…" I thought backing up slowly.**

**I raised my axe ready to strike in case the thing tried to come any closer. It did. I slashed it across its chest with the axe and jumped backwards hoping that it would not explode.**

**The Creeper roared making a terrifying hissing sound. Grey powered blood ran from its womb. **

"**Gunpowder..."**

**The creeper gnarled its teeth and retreated into the shadows.**

**I could either be a hero and follow after the thing and kill it to save someone else from the fate it intended for me, or I could be intelligent and run the remaining hundred meters to my house where I would be safe.**

**Well, I couldn't stand the thought of allowing that monster to roam the villages looking for unsuspecting innocent people to ambush, and I was feeling just a little bit stronger than usual today. **

"**Idiocy it is!" I shouted running into the darkness to peruse the Creeper. "Now where did you go to," I thought scanning the darkness.**

**There were several trees limiting my vision further. I stepped lightly moving around them through the shadows, pushing my way through the branches while listening intently for any sign of movement.**

**There was utter silence. Nothing moved. Only the sounds of the birds and the snakes could be heard through the darkness.**

**Suddenly I heard something break a twig behind me. I spun around driving my axe into the flesh of what was little more than a wild boar. **

**My axe had hit it in the head and become imbedded in its skull. The boar squealed and fell to the ground dead, bleeding profusely from its head, with the axe still lodged inside.**

"**Ahh," I sigh. "This is no Creeper, but then, were did the Creeper go?" I wondered pulling my axe from the boars head.**

**Just as I thought this my question was answered. From the shadow of one of the trees behind me came that hissing noise again. Chills ran up my spine knowing what stood right behind me. I could feel the Creeper's breathe on my shoulder, but I did not turn around. Instead I tightened my grip on the handle of my axe and took a deep and sudden breath. With a swift and sudden motion I swung the axe around at the creeper.**

**I did not stop my swing when I hit it. I swung as hard as I could all the way through, slicing my axe into a tree where it deeply imbedded itself into the trunk. I swiftly looked back at the Creeper I had hit. Its neck was sliced. It staggered backwards clumsily and toppled over. It hit the ground with a thud and lay their bleeding gunpowder for a moment. Then its body began disintegrating into dark smoke, and fading away into the Earth, leaving behind a large pile of gunpowder from the spilled blood.**

**Feeling rather proud of myself I let go of my axe and knelt down to scoop the gunpowder into my pants pockets when I heard another hissing noise from behind me.**

**My heart felt as if it had just stopped. A chill ran through me and my heart began pounding as I looked slowly behind me. There stood another Creeper. It was larger than the first and bulking outward as if about to explode. Instinctually I covered my face with my arms and gasp not having any time to reach my axe.**

"**No!" I heard my brother yell. He ran out from the shadows and tackled the creeper to the ground, furiously slicing into its throat and chest with his iron knife. He must have stabbed the thing twenty times before he was convinced that it was dead.**

**Like the first, its body faded into smoke and disappeared from underneath him. He looked sternly at me, a displeased look in his eyes.**

"**You could have gotten yourself killed just now! What were you thinking going after that thing!?" he reprimanded.**

"**I did manage to kill one…" I chuckled still breathing hard in a semi panic state.**

"**You think that you're so smart tough guy? Maybe you should take note, Creepers always, and I mean always, travel in pairs of two! The first lures you into a trap were the second is always waiting! That's how these things kill! You're lucky I came looking for you and made it over here in time!"**

"**Yeah… thanks… I said taking his hand and he helped me stand up. "What the heck are these things anyway?" I asked brushing myself off.**

"**They were humans once. They were infected and mutated into explosive monsters. Their stupid as can be, but incredibly dangerous, especially in large packs. You're lucky to have even killed one on your own."**

"**You've fought these things before?"**

"**I've killed them before too. And I've also watched them blow men in two, comrades, and fellow soldiers, ripped to pieces by their acid. They're dangerous, and I want you to promise me that you won't ever do something this stupid again!"**

"**Alright, I promise," I said pulling my axe from the tree it was imbedded in.**

"**I trust you actually managed to cut down at least one tree before all this happened?"**

"**Yeah, I did, its cut up a few hundred yards that way," I said pointing into the darkness.**

"**That's good, we'll get it tomorrow. Come on and help me pick up all this gunpowder. Shame to let it go to waste," he said bending down and scooping the powder into his shirt. "What's with the boar?" he asked noticing the dead pig beside me.**

"**I thought it was the Creeper."**

"**Ha, and your telling me that you actually managed to kill one of them after mistaking a pig for a Creeper? Wow, that's amazing bro. Well, at least we will have dinner for a while," he said standing up holding his shirt up with one hand and grabbing the boars hind legs with his other. "Come on, dad's home and waiting inside, and mom's been worried sick about you. But more importantly then either of those things… dinners ready."**

"**Your priorities are interesting Turk," I chuckled finishing scooping the reminder of the gunpowder into my pockets and taking up my axe.**

"**Nice moon tonight huh bro?" Turk said as he dragged the boar behind him as we headed back to the house.**

"**Yeah, beautiful…" I said looking up into the stars.**

"**Hey Turk?"**

"**Yeah?"**

"**Don't tell dad about this, alright?"**

**Turk grunted. "Fine I won't say anything to him."**

"**Thanks…"**

"**Well, he wants to talk to you I think. He has something to tell us both, but I didn't get a chance to ask him about it before mother sent me out looking for you."**

"**Really?"**

"**Yeah, he didn't say what it was. But I have a feeling it's important… Best to be prepared. After all, who knows what they saw down there in those mines?"**


	3. Dinner's Conversation

**Chapter 3**

**Dinner's Conversation**

** "You get that axe made yet boy?" my father asked as we walked into the kitchen. **

**My father was sitting at the table with a heaping plate of pork chops in front of him and a bucket of milk sitting beside it.**

**My mother was at the ovens cooking the rest of the food and cutting up apples.**

"**It's right here," I said raising the axe.**

"**Bring it here boy," commanded my father.**

**My father never was one to ask kindly. He had a stern authority and a hard face. But he was a good man, a kind man, at least on the inside. Years of war had toughened him and taught him to conceal his inner emotions. It was seldom that one would ever see my father laugh or smile. Mostly he just wore the same stern face. **

**He was getting older too, that can't be easy for a man like him. He refused to believe that he was older than twenty five, but his actual age put him at fifty three, despite how he refused to acknowledge it. Inside he was a young man, eager spirited and brave. But on the outside, his body was slowly failing him. **

**The doctor of our village said that he had cancer. Sarcoma to be exact. The doctor said that he would most likely not live longer then another year. The cancer had spread to his lungs and kidneys. There was nothing more that they could do to treat him of it. Even the village sorcerer couldn't seem to conjure up a potion powerful enough to cure the cancer. It would take something stronger than Ghast tears to cure this cancer I'm afraid.**

"**I made it just like you asked me to, see, the handle has our family crest engraved into it," I said handing my father the axe.**

"**Ah, it's heavy and firm. This is a very good axe son. You made this on your own?"**

"**Yeah I did."**

"**Hum… he said looking over the craftsmanship of the axe. "Keep this kind of work up and you might be make knighthood like Turk here one day soon. Your craftsmanship has improved a great deal since you where only twelve building your fist wooden axes."**

"**Ha, can you remember those days dad?" Laughed Turk sitting down at the dinner table and pulling up a plate of steak.**

"**Of course I can remember those days. I'm not that old! Back then we didn't even have redstone. Those were tougher times when less tools were around and we knew much less about our developing world. Much has certainly changed since then."**

"**Dad," I said, "We still don't have much redstone today."**

"**That's true. The caverns are mostly mined out now a days. It's hard to find any ores around here."**

"**How was your mining trip Tom?" my mother asked brining over the plates of sliced apples and bread.**

"**It proved more challenging than usual. We hit a cavern full of cave spiders about half way down. There were hundreds of them in there. At first we tried to seal off the entrance with cobblestone, but they started to break through, so we fell back a ways into a deeper line of the cavern. This line was unexplored and we had no idea if it was safe or not, but it was better than having to deal with the spiders. One bite from a cave spider and you're done for."**

"**Did you manage to lose them in the cavern?" she asked.**

"**Falling back into the deeper mine shaft allowed our crafters time to build tripwire traps laced to fire charges aimed at the entrance of the cavern. When the spider's found us they tripped the wires and were reduced to ashes. The rest of the spiders just sort of… dispersed. They didn't give us any trouble after that. We did manage to collect a good bit of string and a spider eye. I sold the spider eye to the village sorcerer, but I still have three pieces of string," he said handing the string to Turk.**

"**Here," Turk said putting it on the table in front of me. "You take it.**

"**What am I supposed to do with this?"**

"**Find someone who knows how to craft a bow, that's what you do with it. I'm no archer."**

"**Do either of you know how to craft a bow?" I asked curiously.**

"**No I don't, and I'm sure dad does, but he is not going to tell either of us even if he did. Dad believes in the first hand learning experience philosophy."**

"**Did you find anything valuable down there in the mine?" mother asked.**

"**Just some lapis," replied dad, "Enough to make three blocks with a piece left over," he said pulling out a smooth blue stone and setting it on the table in front of us.**

"**They let you keep it?" asked Turk.**

"**Rigging the trip wires was my idea, so yes, they let me keep it, for saving the entire mining crew I suppose."**

"**You were the one to come up with that idea? I asked enthusiastically.**

"**Your old man has been around a while. He knows a thing or two," Father chuckled.**

"**Will you teach me how to craft a trip wire?" I asked.**

"**Maybe when you're older, you're still not a full fledged crafter. When you're older I will teach you everything I know, just as I will teach you Turk."**

"**You should eat your bread Steven," said my mother.**

"**I will mom… oh that reminds me, I found these seeds out there while I was cutting down trees," I said pulling out the seeds and handing them to my father.**

**He took them and looked at them carefully.**

"**Something wrong dad?" I asked.**

"**There's gunpowder on these seeds… where did you get gunpowder?" he asked sternly.**

**I looked over at Turk, who got up and walked over to the chest in the corner of the room where we had put the gunpowder earlier. We had done it right when we got home so no one noticed. He pulled out a paper sack which was full of the gunpowder and dropped it on the table in front of our father.**

**Dad opened the sack reveling a sizable amount of gunpowder. "Where did you get this…?" he asked somewhat discontent.**

"**There were two creepers lurking in the meadows where Steven was chopping wood. He was… attacked by them. He killed one, and I killed the other."**

"**You were together in the field? I thought that you were supposed to be helping find temporary housing for the new coming commoners Turk?"**

"**Yes, I had already done that and had joined Steven in cutting the wood. It's all cut in pile near here. We'll take you to it tomorrow morning."**

**My father stood up, a concerned look on his face. "Steven, Turk, come with me, I will speak with you in private," he said leaving the table and walking into the next room.**

"**I don't think that he bought the story," Turk moaned.**

"**Well, thanks for sticking up for me anyway."**

"**It's my job bro."**

"**Take a seat you two," dad said pointing to the wooden chairs across from him as we entered the room.**

"**What's the matter dad?" asked Turk.**

"**You know if it helps we killed a boar and brought that home too you know," I said trying to appease him.**

"**This is not about the gunpowder, and good, we could use some more meat around here, never enough of that. And I am not mad at you for not telling me about the gunpowder. You did what was right in slaying those beasts, in fact, I am almost proud of you two for killing them. Especially you Steven. You will make a fine knight one day son. But that is not why I called you in here to speak to you. I did not want to concern your mother; she already has enough to deal with with a baby on the way."**

"**What is it that you wanted to tell us then?" asked Turk.**

"**Listen closely to me. I want you two to be exceptionally careful when you're outside from now on."**

"**Dad it was only Two Creepers. They were probably just spies or something," I argued.**

"**Listen, it's not the Creepers that I am concerned about."**

"**Then what?" asked Turk.**

"**Something else happened down in the mine just before we returned to the surface. We saw something… something that we have never seen before."**

"**A cave ogre?" I suggested.**

"**No. The only way I understand how to depict its appearance is that it was at least nine feet tall with black skin and burning teeth. It had long arms and legs and was covered with some kind of scale mess armor. It was a creature like none we have seen before. When we saw it the beast looked immediately back at us and froze where it stood, shaking with its mouth hung open, perhaps as a warning. Then the creature disappeared, just like that, gone into a mist of purple snow-like energy. We did not see the creature again after that."**

"**That doesn't sound like a description of anything that we have seen before," said Turk. The king's royal guard are amongst the finest trained warriors in this land, I've spoken with most of them and they have never spoken of such a monster before. Are you sure what you saw was for real?"**

"**Yes, I am for certain that what we saw was real. I remember looking at its hand."**

"**It's hand?"**

"**There was something in it that it was holding. Something like a blue-green pearl that flashed bright purple just before the creature vanished. And then after it had gone a brave soul went over to where it had once stood and tried to find any clue of where it may have gone too. He discovered on the ground scorch marks resembling mossy stone. We mind the stone fragments and they are currently being shipped back to the king as we speak for analysis."**

"**So, if it was real, what do you think that it was?" I asked.**

"**The men are calling it, an Enderman. The scientists of our village think that maybe the creature came from the End, and the pearl I described to you was its source of teleportation. They say that they might once have been men, evil men that have fallen and become corrupted by dark magic that now take the form of a giant black demon. Or so they are saying. But my greatest concern is now what you have told me of these Creepers. If they are this far out from the mainland, that means that something sent them here as scouts."**

"**You think that Enderman thing was controlling them?" asked Turk.**

"**Them… as well as the cave spiders… it is possible," he said with a stern frown.**

"**So it's possible that the Enderman is an intelligent creature. One of the higher up monsters," I proposed.**

"**That is what the scientists are saying. They have been looking through hundreds of written books searching for an answer to what these creatures are and from where they truly came."**

"**Do they know anything more about them?"**

"**No, not yet. That is the primary matter I called you into private to discus. I do not want your mother knowing this. I have been ordered by the king himself that I am to form a search party that is to depart the day after tomorrow in the early sunrise headed Northeast towards the Swamp Land Cities."**

"**The Swamp Land Cities. What business have we there father?" Turk asked.**

"**They are the nearest colony that posses a functional Nether portal."**

"**The Nether. We are going to the Nether!" I exclaimed.**

"**Yes, there we are seeking a book of the most ancient origins. It is called the Bible of Notch; it was forged by the ancient being, a being of incredible power that once lived millions of years ago. It is said that being was last seen entering the Nether. There it remained until its dying days. They say that it never truly died, rather became something else, something more, but before its ascension it composed a book of all things to be known of our world, which it left hidden somewhere in the Nether. That book will allow us to understand this new monster, and to understand what our full potential is. With that book, we may be able to end this war once and for all. If we learn of the source of the monsters entry into our world, we may be able to shut it down once and for all. And that book may explain how to do that!"**

"**There really is something in the Nether that could tell us that?"**

"**We believe so. That is why the king has ordered me to gather a team of explores, gather supplies, and be ready to leave by the next coming of the sun after tomorrows… I want you two with me on this venture."**

"**And what about the houses that we are supposed to be mining wood for?"**

"**There are other crafters returning from the Eastern Forest brining vast amounts of jungle wood for construction. They will take our place."**

"**Who else do you intend to bring with us?" Turk asked.**

"**Anyone who is willing and brave enough to come."**

"**And we leave by the sunrise after tomorrows?" I confirmed.**

"**First thing morning light we leave. The journey is long to the Swamp Land Cities. It will take us the entire day to get there by flying horse. And we must get there by nightfall. The Swamp Lands are not as safe as our villages here in the plains are."**

"**Pegasus? We are taking Pegasus?" asked Turk in surprise. "I thought that all the Pegasus were bred out of existence long ago?"**

"**No, there are several that are kept in the village in secrecy. Do recall this land possesses the largest horse breeding center in all the lands. Why do you think our largest import is pumpkins?"**

"**That does make scene..."**

"**I'm surprised to hear that there are still living Pegasus in the world," I said reiterating what Turk had said.**

"**Yes few do remain, five of which we are taking the day after tomorrow to the Swampland Cities."**

"**Who are the other two we are brining?" I asked.**

"**Whoever you two can find."**

"**Then I'll start getting everything ready and asking around," said Turk.**

"**Good, but do keep it confidential, only tell who you must. And fist you should finish your dinner and get a good night's rest. I must take care of a few things before we depart. I will be in the main village if anyone needs me come morning. As for now, I am tired from my mining venture and I am retiring to bed. I will tell your mother something so she will not wonder where we are going or worry. You two are free to do as you wish, but be prepared to leave by the time I have designated. Gather others as well, and try to be safe you two," dad said walking out of the room back into the kitchen.**

"**You know Turk, he's been gone for a week, almost died in the mines, and still not even so much as a hug when he returns home and sees us."**

"**Yeah, that's how old men are, get used to it, one day you'll be one. That is, if you're lucky enough to live that long," he chuckled.**

"**What about you, do you think that you'll live that long?"**

"**Dad's one of the oldest in the lands. Most men don't live past forty years of age around here, thanks to this war. Most of them die in combat or from something stupid like falling off a cliff and missing the three blocks of water. As for me, I can guarantee you that I won't live past thirty," he said with a smile.**

"**And why is that?"**

"**Because, I was born to die a fighter. There is no greater sacrifice, and no greater honor."**

"**We'll see about that. Hopefully if this book dad's talking about does what the scientists think it does then maybe we won't have to live long enough to die young."**

"**We'll see about that," Turk said patting me on the shoulder and walking back into the kitchen.**

**I followed him, grabbed my plate of food and climbed the ladder to the tallest part of the house where I stood eating, leaned up against the wooden fence balcony. I looked at the village in the distance and thought about who I might ask to join our little expedition.**

"**Who was recklessly brave and has parents who wouldn't try and stop them?" I thought to myself scratching my chin. "Huh, of course… I know the perfect person to talk too… She's gonna love this one." **


	4. In Preparation

**Chapter 4**

**In Preparation **

**Come that following morning I had awoken with only one intention on my mind. I knew that we would be leaving the next morning at sunrise, so there was little time before I would need to be home to prepare for the journey to the Swamp Land Cities. I needed to make my way into town as soon as possible if I was going to get my hands on a fresh horse. I would need one to make it to Uraa's house before dark.**

**Uraa was the friend I had in mind last night. She is by far one of the most capable people in the entire region for a mission like the one my father had been assigned.**

**For one, her father is no longer alive. He fell in battle several years ago in the last great battle of the previous war. She doesn't talk much about him, not even to me, and I'd consider myself most likely her closet friend. **

**What she had told me, all that she had told me, was what I already knew about him. He was called 'Orin the Great'. No one really knows for sure, but it was said that in his final moments he held back a force of many hundred enemies, giving time for his comrades to flee. No one actually saw the battle, but later when scouts returned to that location there was little more than a wasteland of ruined bodies, her father nowhere to be found. **

**They say he's dead, no one ever saw him after his heroic sacrifice. But where he went, where his body ended up, no one actually knows. Regardless, she doesn't like to talk about it.**

**But aside from lack of a father to stop her, her mother is exceptionally uncaring of what she does. Her mother is hardly even home, so Uraa leaving for a while wouldn't even be noticed.**

**The third reason to ask her was perhaps the most important regarding her qualifications for this mission. She was a powerful mage, trained under an elder mage long gone. He was called Traith. He died of old age some time ago, but not before teaching her all he knew. **

**Uraa was now nearly my age, about to turn nineteen. She was still on the younger side, but she was most definitely a capable mage. Thanks to Traith's training she has nearly become his equal, and that's certainly saying something.**

**Traith was alive during the earlier stages of the previous war. Legend has it that he once held his own against the figure that later became known as Herobrine. It was a man versus an dark God, and still Traith was nearly capable of defeating Herobrine. Traith did not win the battle, but did manage to force Herobrine back, and still retain his own life. I can hardly imagine the power he must have wielded, to face a God like Herobrine… one of the original dark lords.**

**Naturally having learned all Traith had to teach. Uraa was more than capable of taking care of herself. If I could convince her to come with us, she would prove extremely helpful…**

**I informed my mother as to where I was headed, and set out for the village. I did manage to reach the horse stable before the last of the days horses had been loaned out. It was odd to see them nearly all gone so early in the day. The sun had just risen.**

"**Morning Brom," I said waving to the man in charge of running this stable.**

"**Morning kid! I take it that you're here because you want to visit that girly of yours huh?"**

**Coming to Brom asking for a horse was something that happened so frequently that he pretty much knew exactly what was going on whenever I came by. I really never went anywhere else on horseback other than to Uraa's house. She lived so darn far away that horseback, other than flying horse, was the only way to get to her family's mansion within a reasonable amount of time. She was still within the Grassland province, but on the outskirts, in the flatlands. **

**I once tried walking there, it took me nine hours. On horseback it only took about half an hour or so. That's why I was intently hoping Brom still had a few horses left.**

"**Where are your other horses Brom?" I asked walking around the stable behind him as he led me to the remaining horses.**

"**They're all rented out for the day kid. Lots of new folks settlin in around these parts, and people need an easy way to get around while they're looking for a good area to set up their house's foundations. Say boy, aren't you and Turk working on gathering the wood for just that project?"**

**I recalled that my father had said to say nothing about our mission to anyone it did not directly pertain to. So I made something up.**

"**We were, but men are returning from the Jungle front, and they're supposed to be bringing back a good stash of jungle wood, so I guess they don't need my brother and I right now."**

"**Guess you two lucked out then huh boy? Hard job cutting all them trees down eh?"**

"**Yes sir."**

"**So boy, you goin to visit that girl of yours right?"**

"**Yes sir that's right," I said handing Brom a few golden coins, forged from gold ingots, as payment for the horse loan.**

"**You ain't got to pay me kid," he said retracting his hand.**

"**No I insist," I said reaching out taking his hand and dropping the coins into his palm. "You need these more than I do sir."**

"**Well all right then kid, if you say so… say you and this girl of yours gonna get married or something soon boy? You go to visit her just about every other day. And you two are about the right age."**

**I shied away a bit at that thought. "No sir, we're just good friends, that's all."**

**He squinted his eyes at me. "Funny thing boy, that's what I always told people about my wife, before I realized that we were much more then friends."**

"**No sir it's really not like that, she's…"**

"**A mage, I know boy. But that don't change nothin'. Love is love boy, nothin' more to it than that."**

**I don't think that he was getting the point. I didn't love Uraa, other than as a friend that is. But whatever, I was not going to argue with him over this. We talked about this almost every time I came by here anyway.**

"**Alright boy, here's a nice one, her name's Beccy," Brom said pulling a large white horse from the stable. She'll get you there in no time flat boy."**

**I hopped onto the saddled horse and took the reins from Brom as he led Beccy out into the open.**

"**Take good care of my Beccy now boy."**

"**As always sir," I called back over my shoulder kicking Beccy lightly up under her front leg.**

**She neighed and took off heading towards the bamboo woods where Uraa lived.**

"**Ride safely boy!" Brom called after me as I vanished over the next hilltop.**

…

**The ride to Urra's house didn't take long, less than thirty minutes. When we reached the thick bamboo forest I knew that we where nearly to her doorstep.**

**I had ridden this path so many times that the bamboo didn't grow here. It was one of the only clear paths to her house from the side I came from. **

**As I rode up to her front door I was again impressed by the size of her house. Our family was rich, but not this rich. Her house was even larger than ours.**

**I dismounted from Beccy and tied her off to a stone pillar lining the front walkway of Uraa's house.**

**Beccy kicked up and wined loudly.**

"**Shush girl! It's alright," I said stroking her face.**

**Beccy continued to throw a horse fit and loudly whimper.**

"**What's the matter girl!?" **

"**Don't you ever bother letting me know before you show up at my doorstep?" I heard a familiar voice say.**

"**Uraa… Where are you hiding?" I asked looking around for her. I couldn't tell where her voice had come from.**

"**I'm right here stupid!" she said, but I still couldn't see her. She sounded close though.**

**I felt someone's figure flick me in the nose.**

"**Ow, hey!" I said waving my hand through the air in front of me.**

"**Going to have to be faster than that if you want to be able to catch me while I'm cloaked Steven," she chuckled.**

"**Would you cut that out and drop the invisibility spell already… you're scaring my horse."**

**Uraa suddenly became visible. "Ahw, you used to be much more fun Steven, when you were younger I mean. Now you're starting to sound like Turk."**

"**Yeah, and you used to not have magical powers. How are you even able to stay cloaked without a potion?"**

"**Are you kidding me? I'm a mage, only normal boring people need potions to do anything abnormal," she said twirling her arms around her body playfully.**

"**There is a reason after all that it's called 'normal'. You should study the meaning."**

**She chuckled. "So, what do you want Steven?"**

"**I actually came for your help, believe that or not."**

"**What! I'm stunned. You mean you're not just here to eat all my food, exploit my glorious house and its many treasures, and drink all of my potions? Shocking! Tell me it isn't so Steven?" she said jumping back and gasping.**

"**Stop kidding around Uraa, this is actually something serious!"**

"**I know… Gosh, you are no fun anymore."**

"**Times have changed," I mumbled.**

"**That doesn't mean you have to," she said with a smile.**

"**I need your help..."**

"**I know."**

"**You know?"**

"**I'm a mage. I saw you coming before you even left this morning. Finding the Book of Notch, that's a big task for just you and your brother and father, don't you think?"**

"**How did you know that?!"**

"**Mage… duh, can see future events… well sort of, you know how that works I explained that one to you before."**

"**Right you can only see some events, events that choices have already been made for."**

"**Not even I can see past an unmade choice. No one can. But yes, I knew you were coming, else I wouldn't be wasting time out here in my front yard while I have so many more important things to be doing."**

"**Such as?" I asked raising an eyebrow.**

"**Such as trying to create a potion that will act as a damaging effect when it makes contact with the rotted flesh of a zombie."**

"**You mean instant health potions? Think mages and potions brewers long before either of us came up with that one already."**

"**No you idiot! Something that actually not only irradiates their tissues, but also starts to restore them to normal humans again."**

"**Is that even possible? To turn one back into a human?"**

"**Well one ancient text I read, a book from my former master, said that once long ago someone composed a way to turn an infected villager back to being human again. So I guess it is possible, just no one knows how to do it is the thing."**

"**You always with the bold new ideas right?"**

"**As you said it's not new, just no one knows how to do it is all. I'll figure it out eventually, I am a genius after all."**

"**She's always so subtle about her gloating," I chuckled to myself. "So then, you know why I'm here right?"**

"**Obviously…"**

"**So, will you help us?"**

"**Well, my mother is not around, so she really can't stop me now can she. Not like she could even if she was around. And I guess I could set down my brilliant work for just a few days to help you out with something this important… but."**

"**But?"**

"**I would need some kind of compensation. After all I'd be taking so much time off from my usual work."**

"**You're joking right?"**

"**Well this mission is for the king! Right? So I think I deserve some new brewing stands or something if I do agree to help you out."**

"**Can't you just do it because it's the right thing to do?"**

"**Hmm… tempting… but no I need some money assurances here Steven."**

"**You know I can't…"**

"**Then maybe I just have more important things to be doing," she said flipping her hair.**

"**Wait, fine! I'll talk to Turk and see if he can talk to the king about getting you, compensation."**

"**Oh, would you really do that for me Steven? Wow thank," she chuckled blissfully.**

"**Not like I have a choice," I mumbled to myself.**

"**All right well, I'll go with you."**

"**You will?"**

"**Sure. Nothing better to do."**

"**But you said you had…"**

"**That can wait… come on in. I have to get some things before we can go. Figure if I come with you I won't be back here for a few days. You leave tomorrow morning right?"**

"**Yeah, that's right."**

"**I know. Come in, I have something to show you."**

**I followed Uraa into the house. I had been in this house so many times now. I knew every room like the back of my hand.**

"**Take your boots off!" she scolded as I walked into the house. **

"**Yes mom," I said taking off my leather boots and dropping them by the door. "You redecorated a bit since the last time I was here," I said noticing the new addition to her front lobby.**

"**Nothing that new really, just a few new paintings that's all."**

"**They're nice," I said as I walked through the lobby behind Uraa.**

"**To the mage chamber," she said turning the corner to her right as she reached the end of the front lobby.**

**We passed by her father's office on the way to the 'Mage Chamber'. Still don't know why she calls it the mage chamber… His office never changed. Always the same as it had been the day he last left it for battle.**

**She must really miss him. Her mother was all she had left. And her mother really didn't care much for her. God knows why, but she never seemed to want to be at home with her only daughter. **

**Uraa would never admit it, but I think her mother's distancing of herself really did bother her. But she is far too tough to admit that something actually bothers her.**

"**This way slowpoke!" she said hitting a stone button to open the iron door leading into her 'chamber'.**

**I'd been in this room several times before. It was always so interesting to see all this magic stuff. Though I had no idea what any of it actually did.**

"**I see you've added some more potions to your collection huh?"**

"**Yup," she said rummaging through some items on shelves and in drawers.**

"**What's this one do?" I said picking up one of the potions from a shelf.**

"**OH! Don't drink that! That one will kill you if you drink it!"**

"**What, why would you make something like that!?" I said putting the potion back on the shelf and stepping away from it.**

"**I case I need to kill someone, duh!"**

"**Something is wrong with you Uraa, you do understand that right?"**

**She chuckled, still rummaging through her stuff.**

"**Oh what is that thing?" I said pointing to a floating scepter of sorts.**

"**That's my new wand moron," she said walking over and grabbing it, shoving it into a very tiny pouch that hardly looked as if it would be capable of containing such a wand.**

"**How does that fit in there exactly? And how was that thing floating? Things don't float! What magic is this Uraa?"**

"**Stop being a moron, you know my wand is magic, it can do that… And as far as the sack in my hand, it's a magic pouch, capable of nearly infinite inventory space. What, did you think I was going to carry all my junk in my hands? How would I hold that much stuff at once?" **

"**I figured but, that's sort of cool is all."**

"**You non magic folk never stop amazing me with how little you know about the mage arts."**

"**We know nothing… you tell me more then you should, and I still know nothing about how to actually 'do' magic."**

"**Yeah, that's because our good old king coal doesn't let anyone teach magic anymore. I'm one of the last true mages in the entire world Steven."**

"**Yeah, you've told me that before."**

"**We're a dying race… and since the king prohibited anyone who already knows magic from teaching anyone who doesn't, it'll just be a matter of time until there aren't any of us left in the world."**

"**That really is terrible… why won't the king let magic folk teach others their magic skills?"**

"**Same reason he won't let non crafters craft, non builders build, non miners mine… come on Steven, it's obvious. He doesn't want anyone getting strong enough to oppose his rule. If he cuts of all our right hands, we won't be capable of wielding the sword against him anymore. Not unless we drop our shields to raise that sword, and then he'll just put down anyone who stands against him… just like before."**

"**Yeah well we all need both our hands right now. We're in a time of war."**

"**We've always been in a time of war. When has that changed? As a child I grew up dreaming of a better world, a peaceful happy world. Instead my father died giving his life to defend others against the darkness, my mother rejected me, and my master died of his old age. The world isn't a sweet happy place… That's just another lie that grownups tell kids who are foolish enough to believe them."**

"**You seem really upset Uraa… You don't have to come back with me if you don't want to, you can…"**

"**I'm coming with you! I already packed my things! That's final! Let's go!" she said storming out of the room.**

**I couldn't help feel sorry for her. All her life she had people make her promises that they couldn't keep. She had been so innocent once… **

**She says that I've changed… but so has she… More than I ever wanted her to.**


End file.
